How to Heal With Qi Gong

Qigong (pronounced CHEE-kung) is an ancient system of mental and physical exercises designed to maximize the flow of energy (chi or qi) in the body. Practitioners of qigong state that many ailments are caused by blockages and misalignments of the energy fields in the body. A study done at the Heart Disease Research Foundation in New York showed that qigong energy applied over different organs produced enhanced circulation and increased the uptake rate of drugs being used to treat the affected area. It takes years of practice to gain full mastery of the techniques, but you can start improving your overall health with just a few simple exercises.

Things You'll Need

• Quiet space
• Comfortable clothing
• Yoga/Pilates mat or towel (optional)

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Instructions

Basic Breathing Technique

• 1

  Lie on your back with your eyes closed.

• 2

  Inhale slowly through your nose, pulling the breath down into your abdomen. Visualize that you are breathing in life energy (chi).

• 3

  Exhale slowly. As you exhale, visualize that you are separating the chi from the outgoing breath and pushing it down into your lower abdomen (called your <i>tan tien</i> in Chinese). The internal area between your tailbone and groin (about three inches below your navel) is the main storage place for chi.

• 4

  Repeat Steps One through Three for as long as you are able. You will feel after a while (perhaps in a half hour or less) that you cannot store any more energy. This is the time to stop. Practice each day for a few weeks before going on to the next technique.

Qigong for Healing

• 5

  Lie on your back with your eyes closed and visualize your stored chi energy.

• 6

  Concentrate on an area of your body where you have pain or a health concern.

• 7

  With your mind, move energy to the ailing area of your body. This will get easier to visualize with practice.